Part 8

THE TWENTY-SIXTH NOUELL.

_Two gentlemen of Venice were honourably deceiued of their Wyues, whose notable practises, and secret conference for atchieuinge their desire, occasioned diuers accidentes, and ingendred double benefit: wherein also is recited an eloquent oration, made by one of them, pronounced before the Duke and state of that Cittye: with other chaunces and actes concerninge the same._

Heere haue I thought good to summon 2 Gentlewomen of Venice to appeare in Place, and to mount on Stage amongs other Italian Dames to shew cause of their bolde incountrey agaynst the Folly of their two Husbands, that vncharitably without respect of neyghbourhoode, went about to assayle the honesty of eyther's wyfe, and weening they had enioyed others felicity, by the womens prudence, foresight and ware gouernment, were both deceiued, and yet attayned the chiefest benefit that mariage state doth looke for: so that if search bee made amonges antiquities, it is to be doubted wheather greater chastity, and better pollicy could be founde for accomplishment of an intended purpose. Many deedes haue ben done by women for sauegard of their Husbandes lyues, as that of the Minyæ, a sort of Women whose husbandes were imprisoned at Lacedæmon, and for treason condemned, who to saue their liues, entred into prison the night before they should dy, and by exchange of apparell, deliuered them, and remayned there to suffer for them. Of Hipsicratea also the Queene and Wyfe of Mithridates king of Pontus, who spared not hir Noble beauty and golden lockes to manure hir selfe in the vse of armes, to keepe hir husband company in perils and daungers: and being ouercome by Pompeius, and flying away, neuer left him vnaccompanied, ne forsooke sutch trauayle as he himselfe sustayned. The like also of Æmilia, Turia, Sulpitia, Portia, and other Romane Dames. But that sutch haue preuented their husband's folly, seldome we reade, sauing of Queene Marie, the Wife of Don Pietro king of Arragon, who marking the insolency of hir husband, and sory for his disordred life, honest iealousie opening hir continent eyes, forced hir to seeke meanes to remoue his wanton acts, or at leastwise by pollicy and wise foresight to make him husbande and culture his own soyle, that for want of seasonable tillage was barren and voyde of fruicte. Wherefore consulting with the Lord chamberlayne, who of custome brought whom the king liked best, was in place of his woman bestowed in his Bed, and of her that night begat the yong Prynce Giacomo, that afterwardes proued a valiaunte, and wise king. These passing good pollicies of women many times abolish the frantik lecherous fits of husbands gieuen to superfluous lusts, when first by their chast behauiour and womanly patience they contayne that which they be loth to see or heare of, and then demaunding counsell of sobriety and wisedome, excogitate sleights to shun folly, and expell discurtesie, by husbande's carelesse vse. Sutch practises, and deuises, these two Gentlewomen whom I now bringe forth, disclose in this discourse ensuing. In the Citty of Venice, (which for riches and fayre Women excelleth all other within the region of Italy) in the time that Francesco Foscari, a very wyse Prynce, did gouerne the state, there were two young Gentlemen, the one called Girolamo Bembo, and the other Anselmo Barbadico, betwene whom as many times chaunceth amongs other, grew sutch great hatred and cruel hostility, as ech of them by secret and all possible meanes deuised to doe other shame and displeasure, which kindled to sutch outrage, as it was thought impossible to be pacified. It chaunced that at one tyme both of them did mary two noble young Gentlewomen, excellent and fayre, both brought vp vnder one Nurse, and loued ech other lyke two Sisters, and as though they had been both borne of one body. The Wyfe of Anselmo, called Isotta, was the Daughter of Messer Marco Gradenigo, a man of great estimation in that Citty, one of the procuratours of San Marco, whereof there were not so great number in those dayes as there bee now, because the Wysest men, and best Approued of Lyfe were chosen to that great and Noble dignity, none allotted thereunto by Bribes or Ambition. The Wyfe of Girolamo Bembo was called Lucia, the Daughter of Messer Gian Francesco Valerio Caualiere, a Gentleman very well learned, and many times sent by the State, Ambassador into diuers Countreys, and after he had bene Orator wyth the Pope, for his wisedome in the execution of the same was in great estimation wyth the whole Citty. The two Gentlewomen after they were maried, and heard of the hatred betwene their Husbandes, were very sorrowfull and pensiue, because they thought the Freendshyp and Loue betwene them twayne, continued from their tender yeares, could not bee, but with greate difficulty kept, or else altogither dissolued and broken. Notwithstanding beyng discrete and wyse, for auoyding occasion of eche Husbande's offence, determined to cease their accustomed conuersation and louinge Familiarity, and not to frequent others company, but at Places and Tymes conuenient. To whom Fortune was so fauourable, as not onely theyr Houses were neere together but also adioyninge, in the Backsides whereof theyr Gardeyns also Confined, seperated onely wyth a lyttle Hedge, that euery day they myght see one another, and many tymes talke together: moreouer the Seruauntes, and People of eyther houses were freendly, and familiar, whych didde greately content the two Louynge Gentlewomen, bicause they also in the absence of theyr Husbandes, myghte at pleasure in their Gardens disport themselues. And continuing this order the space of three yeares neyther of them within that terme were with chylde. In which space Anselmo many times viewing and casting his eyes vpon Madonna Lucia, fell earnestly in loue with hir, and was not that day well at ease, wherein he had not beholden hir excellent beauty. She that was of Spirite, and Wit subtle, marked the lookes and maner of Anselmo, who neyther for loue, ne other cause did render like lookes on him, but to see to what ende his louing cheere and Countenaunce would tend. Notwithstanding she seemed rather desirous to behold him, than elswhere to imploye hir lookes. On the other side the good behauiour, the wise order and pleasaunt beauty of Madonna Isotta was so excellent and plausible in the sight of mayster Girolamo, as no Louer in the World was better pleased with his beloued than he with hir: who not able to liue wythout the sweete sight of Isotta (that was a crafty and wily Wench) was by hir quickly perceiued. She being right honest and wise, and louing hir husband very dearely, did beare that countenaunce to Girolamo, that she generally did to any of the Citty, or to other straunger that she neuer saw before. But hir husband more and more inflamed, hauing lost the liberty of himselfe, wounded and pierced with the amorous arowes of Loue, coulde not conuert his minde to any other but to mistresse Lucia. These two women wonted to heare seruice euery day ordinarily at the church of Sanfantino, bicause they lay long a bed in the mornings, and commonly seruice in that church was sayd somewhat late: their pewes also somwhat distant one from an other. Whether their 2 amorous husbands continually vsed to follow them a loofe of, and to place themselues where eyther of them might best view his beloued: by which custome they seemed to the common people to be iealous ouer their Wyues. But they prosecuted the matter in sutch wyse, as eyther of them without shipping, sought to send other into Cornouale. It came to passe then, that these 2 beloued gentlewomen one knowing nothing of another's intent, determined to consider better of this loue, because the great good will long time borne, should not be interrupted. Vppon a certayne day when their husbands were abrode, resorting together to talk at their Garden hedge according to theyr wonted manner, they began to be pleasaunte and merry: and after louynge salutations, Mistresse Lucia spake these Woordes vnto hir Companyon: "Isotta my deare beloued sister, I haue a tale to tell you of your husband, that perchaunce will seeme straunger than anye newes that euer you heard." "And I" (answered mistresse Isotta) "I have a story to tel you that wil make you no lesse to wonder than I at that which you haue to say, and it may be will put you into some choler and chafe." "What is that?" quod the one and other. In the ende eyther of them told what practizes and loue their husbands went about. Whereat although they were in great rage for theyr husbandes follye, yet for the time they laughed out the matter, and thought that they were sufficient (as in very deede they were, a thing not to be doubted) and able to satisfie their husbands hunger and therewithall began to blame them and to say that they deserued to learn to play of the Cornets, if they had no greater feare of God, and care of honesty than their husbands had. Then after mutch talke of this matter, concluded that they should do wel to expect what their husbands would demaund. Hauing taken order as they thought meete, they agreed dailye to espye what shoulde chaunce, and purposed first with sweete and pleasaunte lookes to bayte and lure eche other feere, to put them in hope therby that they should satisfie their desires, which done for that tyme they departed. And when at the Church at Sanfantino or other place in Venice, they chanced to meete their louers, they shewed vnto them cheareful and mery Countenaunce: whych the Louers well notyng, were the gladdest Men of the Worlde: and seeing that it was impossible in Speache to vtter their Myndes, they purposed by Letters to signify the same. And hauing found Purciuants to goe betwene parties (whereof this City was wont to be ful) either of them wrote an Amorous Letter, to his beloued, the content whereof was, that they were verye desyrous secretly to talke with them, thereby to expresse the burnynge affectyons that inwardly they bare them, whych without declaration and vtterance by Mouthe in theyr owne presence, woulde breede them Torments more bytter than Deathe. And wythin fewe Dayes after (no greate difference of Tyme betweene,) they wrote their Letters. But Girolamo Bembo hauing a pregnant Wit, who coulde well Endite both in prose, and Rime, wrote an excellent sonnet in the prayse of his Darling in Italian Meeter, and wyth hys Letter sent the same vnto hir, the effect whereof doth follow.

A liuely face and pearcing beauty bright Hath linkt in loue my sely sences all: A comely porte, a goodly shaped wight Hath made me slide that neuer thought to fall: Hir eyes, hir grace, hir deedes and maners milde, So straines my heart that loue hath Wit begilde.

But not one dart of Cupide did me wounde, A hundred shaftes lights all on me at ones: As though dame kind some new deuise had founde, To teare my flesh, and crash a two my bones: And yet I feele sutch ioy in these my woes That as I die my sprite to pleasure goes.

These new found fits sutch change in me doe breede, I hate the day and draw to darknesse, lo! Yet by the Lampe of beauty doe I feede In dimmest dayes and darkest nights also, Thus altring State and changing Diet still, I feele and know the force of Venus will.

The best I finde, is that I doe confesse, I loue you Dame whose beauty doth excell: But yet a toy doth breede me some distresse, For that I dread you will not loue me well, Than loue yee wot shall rest in me alone: And fleshly brest, shall beare a heart of stone.

O goddesse mine, yet heare my voyce of ruthe, And pitie him that heart presents to thee: And if thou want a witnesse for my truth Let sighes and teares my iudge and record be, Vnto the ende a day may come in hast, To make me thinke I spend no time in waste.

For nought preuayles in loue to serue and sue If full effect ioyne not with words at neede, What is desire or any fansies newe More than the winde? that spreades abroade in deede, My words and works, shall both in one agree, To pleasure hir, whose Seruaunt would I bee.